Signal-lantern.



H. G. POTTS & o. HAUBBR. SIGNAL LANTERN. APPLICATION FILED APR. 10.1909.

937, 646, v Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.1 I \9 H v! A Y snoemtou/ m jian oiPow'm 1 0211mm- I a 4 w H." G. POTTS & G HAUBER.

SIGNAL LANTERN.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. 1909.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 wuewtow Early C hnllslialw fiizuber' 1 wmmm 5/ HARRY G.POTTS AND CHRISTIAN HAUBER, 0F FRANKFORT, INDIANA.

SIGNAL-LANTERN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 10, 1909.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

Serial No. 489,044.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY G. PoT'rs and CHRISTIAN HAUBER, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Frankfort, in the county of Clinton andState of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSignal-Lanterns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signal lanterns and more particularly to thatclass of signal lanterns which are used upon railway trams.

The object of our invention is to provide a lantern of this class havingone or more lenses suitably secured in a casing permanently attached tothe car and in which the lamp and its holder may be inserted from theinterior of the car.

Another object is to provide a plurality of glass plates of dilferentcolors, any one of which may be moved in front of the lens at the optionof the trainman.

A further object is to provide means for reflecting the light throughthe bottom of the lamp holder thus allowing the signals to be seen bythe trainman without his leaving the car. r

A still further object is to provide improved means for locking thevarious parts in their assembled position.

Vith these and other objects in view the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter morefully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, itbeing understood that changes in the specific structure shown anddescribed may be made within the scope of the claims without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichlike numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved signal lantern, showing thesame in position upon the caboose of a railway train, Fig. 2 is asimilar view with the outer casing removed, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectiontaken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on theline 4-4 of Fig. 1, Fig. 5' is a detail sectional view through a portionof the bottom of the lamp holder and the outer shell, illustrating themeans for locking the same in position.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the outer casing of our improvedlantern and 2 the lenses thereof, oppositely disposed and secured in thecasing in any approved manner. This lens casing is permanently securedover an opening in the top of the eupola of the caboose of a railwaytrain.

A hexagonal frame 3 is provided with a plurality of lens plates 4 ofdifierent colors,

the lower portion of this frame being cylindrical in form, the purposeof which hereinafter appears. The plate holder 3 is provided with aplurality of openings 8 in the bottom thereof and also with a centraldepending screw threaded flange 6 which receives the screw threadedportion of the lamp 7. A cylindrical shell 5 secured in the lower end ofthe casing 1 and projecting some distance above the top of the car isprovided with a hinged bottom plate 9. This plate 9 has a centralopening 10 through which is adapted to depend the lower portion of theoil cup of the lamp 7 and is hinged as at 9 to the shell. Also formed inthe plate 9 at diametrically opposite points are the openings 11, whichare adapted to register with any two of the openings in the bottom ofthe plate holder. By this means, the light will be reflected through thebottom of the plate holder and the trainman may readily observe which ofthe colored lights are opposite the lenses. The hinged plate 9 issecurely locked to the shell by the bolts 12 which are slidably mountedin boxes 13 secured to the plate. To the inner ends of the bolts 12 aresecured arched arms 14 which are pivoted to either end of the member 15,which is in turn pivoted to the plate 9. The lower edge of the shell 5is provided with depending perforated lugs 16 which are adapted toreceive the bolts 12 when the member 15 is turned. To the outercircumference of the shell is secured the flat spring 17, having afinger hold 18 at one end and an inwardly projecting pin 19 whichextends through the casing and enters any one of a series ofperforations 20 provided in the lower cylindrical. portion of the 7color is shown.

frame 3, thus holding the frame in any desired position so that theproper signal shall be shown. When it is desired to change the color ofthe signal lights, it is only necessary to pull the spring member 17 outwardly until the pin 19 is entirely out of the perforations 20, when theplate frame may be freely rotated until a light of the desired As thepin 19 again enters one of the perforations, the plate frame will besecurely held against accidental rotation. The oil cup of the lamp isextended below the threaded portion thereof and depends through thecentral opening 10 provided with the hinged plate 9. It is by means ofthis extension that the plate frame is turned from the inside of thecar. The member 5 extends into the casing 1 when the parts areassembled, and projects some distance above the roof of the car.

The hinged plate 9 will, when closed and locked by means of thebolt 12,support the plate-holder and lamp within the outer casing 1. Thus theholder will be maintained in its proper position at all times within thecasing 1, the light rays being reflected through the openings 8 in thebottom thereof and the registering openings 11 in the plate 9.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that we have provided asignal lantern in which the lamp may be inserted, and the variouscolored plates operated from the interior of the car. It will also benoted that we have devised a very simple and effective means of lockingthe parts in their assembled position.

Our improved lantern is very simple in construction, the parts arereadily assembled and secured in position, and the signals may bealtered without the necessity of the trainman leaving the car.

WVhat we claim is 1. In a signal lantern, the combination with a casingprovided with a lens, of a de pending shell secured in the bottom ofsaid casing, a plate holder rotatably mounted in said casing, the lowerportion of said holder being cylindrical in form, means for supporting alamp in said holder, means for reflecting light through the bottom ofsaid plate holder, and means for locking the parts in their assembledpositions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a signal lantern, the combination with a casing, provided withoppositely disposed lenses, of a depending shell secured in the bottomof said casing, a hexagonal plate holder rotatably mounted in saidcasing, the lower portion of said plate holder being cylindrical inform, a central depending screw threaded flange on the bottom of saidholder, a central opening in the bottom of said shell, means forreflecting light through the botplurality of openings arranged in thebot' tom of said holder, a central opening in the bottom of said shell,openings formed in the shell on either side of said central opening andadapted to register with said openings in the plate holder, and meansfor locking the parts in their assembled position substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

4:. In a signal lantern, the combination with a casing, provided with alens, of a depending shell secured in the bottom of said casing, a plateholder rotatably mounted in said casing, the lower portion of saidholder being cylindrical in form and provided With a plurality ofperforations, a leaf spring having one of its ends secured to the outercircumference of the shell and provided adjacent to its other end withan inwardly projecting-pin, a perforation in the shell, said pin beingadapted to extend through the perforation in said shell and to enter anyone of the perforations in the lower portion of said plate holder, meansfor supporting a lamp in said holder, means for reflecting light throughthe bottom of said plate holder, a bottom plate hingedly secured to saidshell, and means for locking the same in closed position substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a signal lantern, the combination with a casing provided withoppositely disposed lenses, of a depending shell secured in the bottomof said casing, a hinged bottom plate secured to said shell, lugsdepending from said shell and provided with perforations, bolts-adaptedto enter said perforations and provided on their inner ends withoperating rods, a plate holder rotatably mounted in said casing,acentral depending screw threaded flange at the bottom of said holder, alamp adapted to have threaded engagement with said flange and a portionof the same depending through the bottom of said plate holder, and meansfor reflecting light through the bottom of said plate holdersubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In 'a signal lantern, the combination with a casing provided withoppositely disposed lenses, of a depending shell secured in the bottomof said casing and provided with a hinged plate,said shell havingdepending perforated lugs secured thereto, said lugs being adapted toreceive locking bolts slidably mounted in boxes upon the bottom of saidplate, arcuate arms secured to the inner ends of said locking bolts andpivotally secured to the end of a pivoted finger piece, a plate holderrotatably mounted in said casing, the lower portion of said holder beingcylindrical in form, means for supporting a lamp in said holder, meansfor reflecting light through the bottom of said plate holder and meansfor locking the parts in their assembled positions, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof We afi ix our signa- 15 tures, in presence of tWoWitnesses.

HARRY G. POTTS. CHRISTIAN HAUBER.

WVitnesses:

WALTER L. BROWN, THos. A. GILLERIE.

